We’ve all dreamt of embracing a new way of life. By integrating the indoor and outdoor living spaces, this Brisbane home captures an understated lifestyle that is designed to suit the rural setting environmental considerations .
As you approach this site via the narrow road, a unique home sits perched atop the hill at a level platform, enjoying uninterrupted views of the native landscape. Set on a 10-hectare rural property in the Samford Valley, this house commands magnificent views of Brisbane, Lake Samsonvale, Moreton Bay, Moreton Island and beyond.
The client’s brief centred on building a home that held prime position over an existing earth bank while at the same time remaining nestled between the existing trees. The front of the house was grounded to the site, which then opened up to views to the east, with the platform floor of the house floating metres above the ground at the rear. “The house is an integration of beauty, practicality, passive solar design and ventilation, resource efficiency and craftsmanship, remaining close to nature and in harmony with the surrounding environment,” says Neville Kurth of Sustainable, an award-winning architectural design and construction company, and specialist in sustainable homes. In this instance, Sustainable sought to blur the lines between indoors and out, taking full advantage of the spectacular views and rural setting.
This home, featuring an extensive use of timber and glass throughout, pushes the boundaries of sustainability and innovative design. Flexible spaces are used effectively in the home to provide separate zones within the design, enabling efficient heating in the colder months. This clever layout also enables all the rooms to drag the views into the house, with the pool able to capture the view through a finned entry wall. “Spaces were to be very minimalist and creation of privacy from the entry ensures the house is slowly revealed as you move through it,” he adds. Two of the bedrooms have their own ensuites and are accessed along a breezeway to enhance the experience of movement throughout the house. The main bathroom has a sunken bath which is bordered by the pool, hugging the external wall. Although the house was to remain simple in form, the design incorporated finishes and features that further enhance the living environment. Some of these include plywood ceiling panels to the main living areas and an oversized functional kitchen with stone tops. In the living room, window seats offer a view to the west, providing a place to relax and unwind after a long day. “There is a large multi-levelled deck which becomes the heart of the house and captures the aspect over the lake to the bay, accentuated by the sunken area for more intimate entertaining,” continues Neville. An external fireplace creates the perfect outdoor room to enjoy Queensland’s magnificent climate. It’s the view that awaits you around every corner that is the true beauty of this dwelling. An existing shed, which is separated by the front lawn and the main entry, has been converted to a self-contained bungalow for additional seclusion. “Full integration of the indoor and outdoor living spaces captures an understated lifestyle to suit the rural setting and maintains the feel of a traditional farmhouse,” says Neville.
